The Manual Tester Guide

  Test Cases That Actually Matter: Day 6 of My 30-Day QA Challenge" Intro: Why Most Test Cases Fail (Even If They Pass) When I started my QA journey, I thought writing test cases was just ticking boxes—"Does the login work?" ✅ But over time, I realized that not all test cases are created equal . The best ones don’t just check functionality. They protect user experience. This is what Day 6 of my #30DaysofQA challenge taught me. 💡 What Makes a Test Case Powerful? Instead of writing test cases like: Step 1: Enter email. Step 2: Click Login. Step 3: Success message. I asked myself: "What could go wrong here?" That question changed everything. 🧠 Here’s What I Now Include in Every Test Case: User Behavior Assumptions Will the user forget their password? What if they click “back” mid-process? Negative & Edge Cases What if someone enters only spaces in the email field? How does the app respond to invalid special characters? ...

  5 QA Confidence Boosters to Own Your Role From Doubt to Unstoppable Hey #QAFamily! 👋 I’m Khushboo from Codenia Technologies, and it’s Day 5 of the #TestWithKhushboo 30-Day Challenge . A few weeks ago, I lay awake, haunted by a missed bug that shook my confidence. But last week, a gut feeling led me to catch a payment glitch my team celebrated with a roaring cheer. That moment shifted everything—I went from doubt to unstoppable. Let’s ignite that spark in you too! 🌟 Your 5 Boosters to Shine Bright Own Every Win : Last Tuesday, I caught a sneaky UI glitch. I paused, smiled, and owned it—every bug you nab is a trophy! Celebrate it loud. Lean on Your Tribe : After that miss, my teammate brought coffee and a genius fix. Your team is your rock—reach out when you waver. Trust Your Spark : That payment glitch? My instinct screamed “dig deeper.” With Selenium, I proved it, and it felt like magic. Trust yourself. Master with Practice : I started with a 10-minute daily test, a...

  A QA Story of Mistake and Redemption The Night I Doubted Myself Hey #QAFamily! 👋 I’m Khushboo from Codenia Technologies, and welcome to Day 4 of the #TestWithKhushboo 30-Day Challenge . A few months ago, I was deep into a project I really cared about—an e-commerce app that meant a lot to my team. But I missed a tiny bug, a sneaky edge case in the payment flow. That night, I lay awake, heart racing, wondering if I’d let everyone down. Have you ever felt that pit in your stomach? 😔 It wasn’t just about the bug—it was the fear of disappointing people I respect. I kept replaying it: a late-night test I rushed, a checkbox I overlooked. It hit me hard, but that’s where this story turns. The Turnaround We Built Together The next morning, I decided to face it head-on. Here’s how my team and I turned that mistake into something beautiful: I Owned It : I walked into our team huddle, nerves and all, and said, “I messed up—let’s fix it together.” The silence was thick, but then m...

  5 Free Tools for QA Engineers to Boost Your Workflow Introduction Welcome back, #QAFamily! 👋 I’m Khushboo, a Software QA Engineer at Codenia Technologies, and this is Day 3 of the #TestWithKhushboo 30-Day Challenge ! After covering testing basics on Day 1 and mastering test cases on Day 2, today I’m excited to share 5 free tools that will transform your QA workflow . Recently, I used Postman to catch a live API glitch in minutes, saving my team hours of debugging. These tools are game-changers—let’s dive in! Tool 1: Postman – API Testing Made Simple What It Does : Test and automate APIs with an intuitive interface. Why It’s Great : Catch errors fast—my API glitch fix took under 10 minutes! How to Start : Download from postman.com , create a free account, and import your API endpoints. Tip : Use the “Collection Runner” to test multiple scenarios at once. Tool 2: Bugzilla – Bug Tracking Powerhouse What It Does : Manage and track bugs with detailed reporting. Why ...

  5 Steps to Write Test Cases That Catch Bugs Every Time Introduction Hey #QAFamily! 👋 I’m Khushboo, a Software QA Engineer at Codenia Technologies, and welcome to Day 2 of the #TestWithKhushboo 30-Day Challenge ! Yesterday, we laid the foundation with testing basics—today, we’re diving into a skill that can transform your QA game: writing killer test cases. I once missed a critical UI glitch in our app’s checkout because of a sloppy test case, costing us a day of chaos. That lesson fueled these 5 proven steps to craft test cases that catch bugs reliably. Whether you’re a newbie or a pro, let’s make your testing bulletproof! Step 1: Master the Action-Result Format A well-structured test case is your first line of defense against confusion. How It Works : Break each test into an action (what you do) and a result (what you expect). Example : “Enter username ‘khushboo’ and password ‘test123’ → ‘Welcome, Khushboo!’ message appears.” Pro Tip : Use a table format in JIRA or...

  8 Core Testing Types Every Manual Tester Should Know--  Introduction As a QA Engineer at Codenia Technologies, I’ve learned that choosing the right testing type is like picking the right tool for a job. Miss a step, and bugs slip through. Here are 8 essential testing types every manual tester needs, with practical tips and examples to make you a bug-hunting pro! 1. Smoke Testing: The First Checkpoint What : Quick tests to check if a build is stable enough for deeper testing. When : After a new build deployment. Example : In an e-commerce app, I tested login, search, and checkout to ensure they didn’t crash. Found a broken search button—build rejected! Tip : Use a 10-minute checklist in JIRA to cover key features. 2. Sanity Testing: Verify the Fix What : Focused tests to confirm specific fixes or changes work. When : After a bug fix or minor update. Example : A payment bug was fixed; I tested only the payment flow to confirm it worked. Tip : Limit to 5–10 test ...

 Top 10 Must-Have Chrome Extensions for Software Testers (Especially for Responsive Testing) “A great tester isn’t someone who finds bugs—it's someone who prevents them.” And sometimes, all it takes is the right browser extension to stay ahead of the game. If you’re into software testing —whether you're a beginner QA, freelance tester, or just someone who loves breaking things (in a good way)—this post is your shortcut to making testing faster, smarter, and more fun. Let’s dive into the 10 Chrome extensions every tester should install today , especially if you care about responsiveness, performance, accessibility, and sanity ! ✅ 1. Responsive Viewer Your pocket device lab. View your website on multiple devices—side by side—in real time. Whether you're testing a blog, web app, or e-commerce site, Responsive Viewer shows how your UI behaves across phones, tablets, and desktops at once. 📌 Why testers love it: Saves time switching devices Instantly reveal...

  How a Random Bug Hunt in an Open-Source Project Taught Me 3 QA Lessons to Dominate Testing in 2025 -- On a whim, I joined a weekend bug hunt for an open-source Fintech app on GitHub. As a QA at Codenia, I thought it’d be a fun side project—but it taught me 3 game-changing lessons that are revolutionizing how I test apps like FabSpin in 2025. Here’s what I learned. Section 1: The Open-Source Adventure : Context: “I stumbled on a GitHub issue for an open-source payment app, needing testers. I dove in, no expectations.” Challenge: “I had to test unfamiliar code with a global team, under tight deadlines, using new tools.” Outcome: “I found a critical API bug, got my first GitHub commit, and learned more than in months of sprints.” Section 2: The 3 QA Lessons Learned : Crowdsource Testing with AI Boosts Speed : Lesson: Used AI tools (e.g., Mabl) to prioritize test cases, then collaborated with community testers to verify. Example: “Mabl flagged a transaction timeout; I confi...

  7 Software Testing Secrets to Crush Bugs and Win at QA in 2025 Introduction: The Bug That Almost Broke Me Picture this: It’s 2 a.m., the night before a major release. I’m staring at a bug that’s crashing our app’s payment system, with the client’s deadline looming. My coffee’s cold, my eyes are burning, and panic is setting in. Ever been there? That moment taught me that great software testing isn’t just about finding bugs—it’s about outsmarting them. In 2025, software testing is evolving at lightning speed. AI, automation, and DevOps are rewriting the rules, and staying ahead means mastering new tricks. Whether you’re a manual tester, an automation pro, or a QA lead, these 7 secrets will help you crush bugs, impress your team, and shine in the QA world. Ready to become a testing superstar? Let’s dive in! Secret #1: Automate Smarter, Not Harder Automation is a game-changer, but blindly automating everything wastes time. Focus on high-impact areas like regression testing or ...

  7 Secrets to Skyrocket Your Manual Testing Career in 2025 [Proven Tips from Industry Experts] Introduction Ever wondered what separates an average manual tester from one who lands high-paying roles, gets invited to speak at conferences, or builds a massive following in the tech community? It’s not just technical skills. In 2025, manual testing is more critical than ever, despite the rise of automation. This blog reveals 7 game-changing secrets to elevate your manual testing career, backed by insights from industry leaders and real-world examples. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned tester, these tips will help you stand out, get noticed, and maybe even go viral in the tech world. Ready to transform your career? Let’s dive in! Why Manual Testing Still Matters in 2025 Before we jump into the secrets, let’s address the elephant in the room: Why is manual testing still relevant when automation is everywhere? Manual testing brings creativity, intuition, and a human touch th...

There are dozens of testing types. Hundreds of tools. Countless articles. But if you're a beginner tester, what do you really pay attention to? Here's a framework I like to refer to as The 5 Pillars of Manual Testing — your foundation as a contemporary tester. ???? 1. Understanding the Product "You can't test what you don't understand." Recognize the purpose of the product Know how the user will interact with it Ask: What happens if this fails in real life? ✅ Why it matters: You'll catch bugs others don't — because you think like a user. ???? 2. Good Test Design "Don't test everything. Test what matters." Learn to write test scenarios and test cases Apply techniques such as: Boundary Value Analysis Equivalence Partitioning Error Guessing ✅ Why it matters: You'll find more bugs in less time — with smarter coverage. ???? 3. Bug Reporting that Gets Results "A bug nobody understands is a bug that doesn't get fixed." Learn to...

   Top 5 Free AI Tools Every Tester Should Try in 2025 (Yes, They’re Actually Free) Let’s be real — testing in 2025 is nothing like it was a few years ago . Test cases? Scripts? Visual bugs? Even security vulnerabilities ? AI is now helping us handle all of that — and the best part? Some of the best tools out there are completely free . In this post, I’m sharing 5 AI-powered tools I’ve personally tried that every tester (manual, automation, or SDET) should check out. Whether you're overwhelmed with flaky tests or just curious about where testing is headed — this one’s for you.  1. Testim by Tricentis (Free Community Plan) If you’re tired of tests breaking every time the UI changes — Testim will be your new favorite . With its AI-powered smart locators and test recorder, I was able to build and run a login test in minutes. When the app’s layout changed, Testim handled it automatically. Zero rewrites. No headaches. ✅ Visual editor ✅ Self-healing locators ✅ Fr...

Bug vs Feature: The Most Confused Concept in Tech In every IT project, there's one old debate that refuses to die: **"Is this a bug… or is it a feature?"** What appears to be an innocuous question tends to become heated debates between developers, testers, product managers, and end users. Reality check: **If your user is lost — it's an issue.** What is a Bug? A **bug** is a surprise behavior or mistake in your application that keeps it from doing what it's supposed to do. It can be: * A button that does not work * A crashing page * Inaccurate data displaying * Or any behavior that doesn't meet the documented requirement **In short:** *A bug violates your product promise.* ---  What is a Feature? A **feature** is an intentional, designed functionality introduced to enhance your product's value or user experience. It may be: * A new payment method * Dark mode feature * Auto-save for forms * Or an AI chatbot in your app **In short:** *A feature is an addition...

 Manual QA vs Automation QA: Why Your Company Keeps Getting It Wrong Quality isn't a feature — it's the foundation. And if you don't know the difference between Manual QA and Automation QA, you're building on sand. Let's Get This Straight Think of two guards defending a city's gates. Manual QA is the vigilant sentry. A keen-eyed human tester, trusting in experience, intuition, and gut instinct. It spots what no one anticipated, feels what is not correct, and thinks like a user — not a computer. Automation QA is the laser grid. Quick, relentless, accurate. It runs tests at light speed, repeatedly without skipping a beat, so that what must work continues to work following each code modification. Both are indispensable. Separate, they are incomplete. Together, they're invincible. The Real Difference ???? Manual QA\???? Automation QA Human-driven, instinct-based\Script-following, logic-based Ideal for exploratory, usability, and one-off tests\Ideal for regressio...